The present invention relates to clutches and clasps and more particularly to a security clutch for a jewelry post, such as an earring post.
Security clutches or clasps are widely used for connection to a grooved jewelry post to secure the jewelry post in place. A jewelry post is commonly provided with an ornamented end and a free end. The ornamented end, for example, may carry a pearl, gemstones, metal cast design or other decorative structure. The opposing free end is inserted through a pierced ear. The free end of the post includes at least one circumferential groove to receive a clutch or clasp on the post on the opposite side of the ear to the ornamented end to secure the entire assembly in place on the ear. The clutch releasably engages the post and is of an enlarged area to prevent accidental removal of the post from the pierced ear. A security clutch can be removed and attached to the free end of the post for installation and removal of the earring assembly on the user""s pierced ear. Additional circumferential grooves can also be provided to secure the clutch closer or farther away from the ornamented end in accordance with the thickness of the user""s ear and their respective comfort level.
In view of the foregoing, the employment of a clasp or clutch to secure a jewelry post is critical so that it is does not fall out of the user""s ear. Other non-earring jewelry posts have the same requirement. In the prior art, there have been many attempts to provide a security clutch for a grooved jewelry post. For example, the prior art includes various clutches with an integrated spring-biased locking member that obstructs a post receiving aperture positioned through the clutch. The integrated locking member typically includes a complex construction with many components and delicate springs.
Many prior art devices include two opposing trigger buttons to control the positioning of a locking member located inside the housing. Two trigger buttons are commonly needed to accommodate larger sized earring security clutches to ensure proper operation of the spring-biasing member contained within the security clutch body itself. However, it is common for these types of security clutches, particularly those with two triggers positioned on opposite side of the device from one another, to have inferior operation due to problems associated with the spring-biasing member contained within the security clutch body. For example, security clutches typically employ a leaf spring within the clutch body to spring-bias a member connected to the trigger to engage with the reduced neck portion of the grooved earring post. Two springs are respectively required for both the trigger members employed in the device. Due to the small size of the earring post and security clutch precision operation of the internal parts of the clutch, namely, the springs and triggers is essential to ensure smooth and proper operation of the clutch. In particular, centering of the spring members within the clutch is critical to such operation. If the internal components of clutch are not centered and precisely aligned, the user will not be able to smoothly insert and remove the grooved post or engage and disengage the clutch from the grooved earring post.
As a result, these prior art devices are expensive to manufacture and labor intensive to assemble. The delicate and complicated parts are very small in size and are very difficult to assemble properly with precision to ensure smooth and proper operation. Further, these prior art devices are difficult and cumbersome to operate by the user. In sum, these prior art devices are inadequate to meet the user""s needs.
In view of the foregoing, there is a demand for an improved security clutch with a minimal number of component parts to facilitate manufacturing and assembly and to reduce cost without sacrificing quality and performance. There is a demand for a security clutch that has a construction that self-centers itself within the housing of the clutch to ensure smooth and proper operation thereof. There is also a demand for a security clutch that can install onto a standard grooved jewelry post. There is a further demand for a security clutch that is easy to operate, has a low profile for comfort with a positive lock.
The present invention preserves the advantages of prior art security clutches for jewelry posts. In addition, the security clutch for jewelry posts provides new advantages not found in currently known devices and overcomes many disadvantages of such currently available devices.
The invention is generally directed to the novel and unique security clutch for jewelry posts, such as grooved posts. A security clutch for a jewelry post includes a housing with a top plate and a bottom plate and a wall extending therebetween with an inner surface. The housing defines a post receiving aperture that extends through the top plate and the bottom plate. The housing includes first and second access ports. A first lock member is disposed in the housing and between the top plate and the bottom plate. The first trigger lock member includes a main body with an inner free end and an outer free end. A first trigger portion is connected to the outer free end of the first trigger lock member and extends through the wall through the first access port and is capable of manipulation outside the housing.
A first jewelry post engaging seat is connected to the inner free end of the of the first trigger lock member. A first lug is connected to and emanates from the inner free end of the main body of the first lock member. The first lug has an outer surface facing toward the first access port. A second lock member is disposed in the housing and between the top plate and the bottom plate where the second trigger lock member includes a main body with an inner free end and an outer free end. A second trigger portion is connected to the outer free end of the second trigger lock member and extending through the wall through the second access port and is capable of manipulation outside said housing. A second jewelry post engaging seat is connected to the inner free end of the of said second trigger lock member with a second lug connected to and emanating from the inner free end of the main body of the second lock member. The second lug has an outer surface that faces toward the second access port. The second lug of the second lock member slidably resides between the first boss and the first trigger portion and the first lug of the first lock member slidably residing between the second lug and the second trigger portion. A spring for spring-biasing the first lug toward the second lug is also provided.
In operation, the first main body and the second main body are movable relative to one another by depression of the first trigger portion and the second trigger portion against the biasing force of the spring from a resting locked position with the first jewelry post engaging seat and the second jewelry post engaging seat residing in the circumferential groove of the jewelry post thereby securing the jewelry post relative to said housing to an unlocked position with the first jewelry post engaging seat and the second jewelry post engaging seat being clear of the post receiving aperture thereby permitting free passage of the jewelry post within the post receiving aperture.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the instant invention to provide a security clutch for jewelry posts.
Another object of the instant invention is to provide a security clutch for jewelry posts that can be easily installed and removed.
Still further, an object of the instant invention is to provide a security clutch for jewelry posts that securely locks to a grooved jewelry post.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a security clutch for jewelry posts that can be locked and unlocked by depression of a pair of trigger buttons.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a security clutch for jewelry posts that has a self-centering spring configuration to ensure smooth and precise operation of the clutch with fewer parts than prior art security clutches.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a security clutch for jewelry posts that is simple and easy to manufacture and assemble.
Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide a security clutch for jewelry posts that has a positive lock.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a security clutch for jewelry posts that can accommodate single and multiple grooved posts.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a security clutch for jewelry posts that has a low profile.